Israel’s Election Leaves Coalition Path Uncertain

Israel’s far-right parties, Jewish Power led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Religious Zionism led by Bezalel Smotrich, retained 13 seats combined in the Oct. 27 election, matching their previous total. Although they did not achieve the gains they had hoped for, the result keeps them represented in the political landscape. Their prospects of remaining in government are uncertain: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, short of the 61 required for a majority, while the opposition led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot won 48. An alliance with Arab-Israeli parties, which secured 19 seats, could allow the opposition to form a government and would likely exclude the far right.

Yousef Jabareen, leader of Israel’s Arab-led Joint List, is urging opposition parties to work with the Joint List and the Arab-led Ra’am party to form a parliamentary majority and replace Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. The appeal follows an inconclusive election: Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats and the opposition camp 48, while the Joint List and Ra’am secured 11 and eight seats. Together, the Arab-led parties could provide the support needed to reach the 61-seat threshold for a majority in the Knesset. Jabareen said opposition politicians who have resisted partnering with Arab parties, including Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman, must acknowledge the election results and parliamentary arithmetic. He argued that Netanyahu’s government cannot be replaced without coordinating with the Joint List. Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has expressed reservations about including Arab parties in a coalition, though he has not ruled it out. Yair Golan of The Democrats is the only opposition-bloc member identified as publicly advocating such a partnership. Jabareen said the Joint List is prepared to support legislation and decisions that advance its agenda. While it differs from many Jewish-majority opposition parties on issues including Palestinian statehood, he emphasized concerns affecting Arab Israelis: crime and violence, house demolitions, discriminatory policies and budget allocations. He said these are areas where dialogue is possible. Any prospective partners, however, would need to take seriously the Joint List’s opposition to Netanyahu’s wars, destruction in Gaza and settler violence in the West Bank. Jabareen framed his party’s positions as grounded in human rights and international law, rejecting the characterization of them as extremist. The article also notes that President Isaac Herzog was due to consult parties elected on Oct. 27 before deciding which leader would first be tasked with forming a government.

After his Likud party’s setback in Israel’s October 27 election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was open to forming a “broad national government” under his leadership. This differs from his earlier commitment to building a right-wing coalition. However, he did not indicate that he would abandon the far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties in his outgoing coalition, and he ruled out relying on Arab-led parties Ra'am and the Joint List, accusing them of supporting terrorism and rejecting Israel’s identity as a Jewish state. Likud won 27 seats, making it the largest party, but the pro-Netanyahu bloc secured only 53 of the Knesset’s 120 seats—short of a majority. Arab-led parties won 19 seats, and other Jewish-led parties won 48. Four Zionist opposition parties—Yashar, B'Yachad, The Democrats and Yisrael Beytenu—have said they will not join a Netanyahu-led government, leaving the path to a majority uncertain. Likud also asked to delay official certification of the results, scheduled for Wednesday, citing an investigation into suspected foreign interference. Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, who chairs the Central Elections Committee, rejected the request, saying the committee lacked authority to withhold certification or intervene in the investigation. The allegations involve claims that Qatar or other foreign powers secretly funded efforts to increase Arab voter turnout. They remain unsubstantiated, and the election committee has said that even if proven, they would not be significant enough to alter the result.